1983–84 NASL Indoor season

North American Soccer League -1983–84 Indoor Season-
Season 1983–84
Champions San Diego Sockers
(2nd Title)
Premiers San Diego Sockers
Matches played 112
Goals scored 1377 (12.29 per match)
Top goalscorer Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Steve Zungul
(63 goals)
← 1983
Final Season →

The 1983–84 North American Soccer League indoor season was the fourth and last in league history. The San Diego Sockers defeated the New York Cosmos for their third straight indoor title, having won the NASL Indoor title in 1981–82 and the MISL title in 1982–83.

Season recap

As the NASL was struggling for life at this point, finding teams to play in the indoor league would be difficult. While San Diego, the Chicago Sting and the Golden Bay Earthquakes were committed to the league, filling out the ranks would be problematic. With the league making plain their desires to have both an indoor and outdoor element, the Fort Lauderdale Strikers decided to move to Minnesota for the 1984 NASL season due to a lack of suitable arenas in the local area.[1]

The Tampa Bay Rowdies were unsure whether they would be able to play as previous owners had committed to play in the league and then sold the team, leaving the new owners in the lurch.[2] The lack of a suitable arena also was an issue, eventually forcing games to be split among three sites.[3] The Tulsa Roughnecks were only in the league thanks to a fundraiser that put $65,000 in the team's coffers, even though the team had won the outdoor Soccer Bowl just weeks earlier.[4]

Despite the uncertainty, this would be the largest NASL Indoor season ever as a 32-game regular season, a best-of-three semifinal round and a best-of-five championship series were on the schedule. Also, the first (and only) All-Star Game in NASL history took place on February 8 at Chicago Stadium. The hometown Chicago Sting took on an All-Star team of the six other squads. Despite four goals from Chicago's Karl-Heinz Granitza, the All-Stars won 9–8.[5]

Not surprisingly, the teams with steady management performed best through the season. The Sockers averaged over 11,000 for their home games and finished first, overcoming a slow 8-8 start.[6] The hot streak continued in the playoffs as the team won all five of their postseason games en route to the NASL title.[7]

The NASL confirmed plans for 40-game indoor seasons in 1985 and 1986 near the end of the season,[8] but folded for good in March 1985.[9] By then, San Diego, Minnesota, New York and Chicago would be in the MISL.[10] While the Sockers, Strikers and Sting experienced success in the MISL, the Cosmos would start the season but drop out on February 22, 1985.[11]

Teams

Team City/Area Arena
Chicago Sting Chicago, Illinois Chicago Stadium
Golden Bay Earthquakes Oakland, California
San Francisco, California		 Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena
Cow Palace
New York Cosmos East Rutherford, New Jersey Brendan Byrne Arena
San Diego Sockers San Diego, California San Diego Sports Arena
Tampa Bay Rowdies Tampa, Florida
St. Petersburg, Florida
Lakeland, Florida		 Tampa Fairgrounds Arena
Bayfront Center
Lakeland Civic Center
Tulsa Roughnecks Tulsa, Oklahoma Tulsa Fairgrounds Pavilion
Vancouver Whitecaps Vancouver, British Columbia Pacific Coliseum

Regular Season

The 1983-84 regular season schedule ran from November 11, 1983 to March 25, 1984. The 32 games per team was almost double the length of previous NASL Indoor seasons.

W = Wins, L = Losses, GB = Games Behind 1st Place, Pct. = Winning Percentage, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against

Final Standings W L Pct. GB GF GA Home Road
San Diego Sockers 2111.656--19614814-27-9
New York Cosmos 2012.625121919813-37-9
Chicago Sting 2012.625121919812-48-8
Golden Bay Earthquakes 1913.594221323012-47-9
Vancouver Whitecaps 1220.37591872096-106-10
Tulsa Roughnecks 1121.344101662167-94-12
Tampa Bay Rowdies 923.281121772255-114-12

Regular Season Statistics

Scoring Leaders

GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points

Player Team GP G A Pts
Steve Zungul Golden Bay Earthquakes 32 63 56 119
Karl-Heinz Granitza Chicago Sting 32 59 33 92
Juli Veee San Diego Sockers 28 45 29 74
Carl Valentine Vancouver Whitecaps 32 44 26 70
Chico Borja New York Cosmos 31 29 37 66
Godfrey Ingram Golden Bay Earthquakes 32 38 25 63
Tatu Tampa Bay Rowdies 30 49 11 60
Stan Terlecki New York Cosmos 23 34 23 57
Peter Ward Vancouver Whitecaps 28 42 12 54
Kaz Deyna San Diego Sockers 27 28 24 52

Leading Goalkeepers

Note: GP = Games played; Min - Minutes Played; GA = Goals Against; GAA = Goals Against Average; W = Wins; L = Losses

Player Team GP Min GA GAA W L
Jim Gorsek San Diego Sockers 18 1074 73 4.08 14 4
Victor Nogueira Chicago Sting 32 1873 136 4.36 20 10
Bob Rigby Golden Bay Earthquakes 31 1890 184 5.84 18 13
David Brcic New York Cosmos 26 1570 155 5.92 18 8
Jürgen Stars Tampa Bay Rowdies 26 1506 171 6.81 8 18
Winston DuBose Tulsa Roughnecks 22 1416 161 6.82 7 15

1984 NASL All-Star Game

On February 8, the city of Chicago hosted what turned out to be the only All-Star game in NASL history. The Chicago Sting battled a team of All-Stars from the other six teams for the benefit of Chicago Tribune Charities. The starters were voted on by the players, while San Diego coach Ron Newman selected the reserves.[12] The All-Stars outdueled the Sting 9–8 before 14,328 fans at Chicago Stadium, despite an MVP performance by Chicago's Karl-Heinz Granitza. Granitza scored four goals on the night.[13][14]

All Star Game Starters   Position   All Star Game Reserves
*Alan Mayer, San Diego G David Brcic, New York • Tino Lettieri Vancouver[15]
Barry Wallace, Tulsa D Angelo DiBernardo, New York • Frantz Mathieu, Tampa Bay
Fernando Clavijo, Golden Bay D Mike Connell, Tampa Bay • Gert Wieczorkowski, San Diego
Steve Zungul, Golden Bay F Carl Valentine, Vancouver • ^Stan Terlecki, New York
Kaz Deyna, San Diego F Jean Willrich, San Diego • Zequinha, Tulsa[16]
Juli Veee, San Diego F Peter Ward, Vancouver

*Alan Mayer of San Diego was originally selected as a starter but due to a broken finger was unable to play. Tino Lettieri of Vancouver was named as his replacement.[17]^Stan Terlecki of New York was originally selected as a reserve but due to injury was unable to play. Zequinha of Tulsa was named as his replacement.[18]

NASL All-Stars

During the finals the NASL announced the traditional All-NASL team of All-Stars, as voted on by the players at the end of the regular season.[19]

First Team   Position   Second Team
Victor Nogueira, Chicago G
Fernando Clavijo, Golden Bay D
Gert Wieczorkowski, San Diego D
Steve Zungul, Golden Bay F
Kaz Deyna, San Diego F
Karl-Heinz Granitza, Chicago F

Playoffs

Bracket

Semifinals Championship Series
 
1  San Diego Sockers 5 7 -  
4  Golden Bay Earthquakes 2 2 -  
  1  San Diego Sockers 5 10 7
  2  New York Cosmos 2 4 3
2  New York Cosmos 4 3 8
3  Chicago Sting 3 7 7  

Semifinals

Best of three series

Game 1 Game 2 Game 3 Attendance
San Diego Sockers - Golden Bay Earthquakes 5 - 2 7 - 2 x March 29 -10,870 • April 1 -4,413
New York Cosmos - Chicago Sting 4 - 3 3 - 7 8 - 7 March 28 -2,842 • March 30 -15,462
April 1 -5,420

Championship Series

Best of five series

Game 1 Game 2 Game 3 Attendance
San Diego Sockers - New York Cosmos 5 - 2 10 - 4 7 - 3 April 5 -12,006 • April 8 -12,696
April 11 -4,717

Post season awards

Team Attendance Totals

[22]

Club Games Total Average
Chicago Sting 16 189,228 11,827
San Diego Sockers 16 182,633 11,415
New York Cosmos 16 78,391 4,899
Golden Bay Earthquakes 16 72,190 4,512
Tulsa Roughnecks 16 59,304 3,707
Vancouver Whitecaps 16 46,336 2,896
Tampa Bay Rowdies 16 43,065 2,692
OVERALL 112 671,147 5,992

References

  1. ↑ Marmor, Jon (December 1, 1983). "Strikers' Departure Is Official". Palm Beach Post. p. D1. Retrieved 2012-06-02.
  2. ↑ Beard, Randy (November 1, 1983). "Rowdies scrub the indoor season". Evening Independent. p. 1-C. Retrieved 2012-06-02.
  3. ↑ Beard, Randy (November 5, 1983). "Don't hold your breath as Rowdies unveil schedule". Evening Independent. p. 4-C. Retrieved 2012-06-02.
  4. ↑ "NASL results: 1 team lost, 1 team saved". Milwaukee Journal. November 5, 1983. p. 12. Retrieved 2012-06-02.
  5. ↑ "Hey Now, You're An All-Star". Kenn Tomasch. Retrieved May 3, 2013.
  6. ↑ Beard, Randy (March 1, 1984). "Frustration continues for Rowdies: Sockers' spurt means season winding down". Evening Independent. p. 6-C. Retrieved 2012-06-02.
  7. ↑ "San Diego soccer champs". Ottawa Citizen. April 12, 1984. p. 54. Retrieved 2012-06-02.
  8. ↑ "Must Play in '84, Sting Is Told". New York Times. February 10, 1984. Retrieved 2012-06-02.
  9. ↑ "NASL down to two teams, won't play this season". Eugene Register-Guard. March 29, 1985. p. 2D. Retrieved 2012-06-02.
  10. ↑ "MISL takes four NASL teams". Boca Raton News. August 31, 1984. p. 2C. Retrieved 2012-06-02.
  11. ↑ "Cosmos pull out of MISL, NASL". Ellensburg Daily Record. February 23, 1985. p. 11. Retrieved 2012-06-02.
  12. ↑ Beard, Randy (February 3, 1984). "All-star picks baffle Rowdies Connell, Mathieu". Evening Independent. p. 6-C. Retrieved 2013-05-03.
  13. ↑ "Hey Now, You're An All-Star". Kenn Tomasch. Retrieved May 3, 2013.
  14. ↑ https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1368&dat=19840209&id=XIFQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OBIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3768,1770074
  15. ↑ "Hey Now, You're An All-Star". Kenn Tomasch. Retrieved May 3, 2013.
  16. ↑ "Hey Now, You're An All-Star". Kenn Tomasch. Retrieved May 3, 2013.
  17. ↑ https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1346&dat=19840202&id=NYUwAAAAIBAJ&sjid=c_sDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6862,546022
  18. ↑ https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=19840208&id=aJIyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7u4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5198,3875828
  19. ↑ https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=zLlHAAAAIBAJ&sjid=jv8MAAAAIBAJ&pg=3435,1177562&dq=nasl+indoor+all+star&hl=en
  20. ↑ https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=yLlHAAAAIBAJ&sjid=jv8MAAAAIBAJ&pg=2099,498944&dq=earthquakes+indoor+season&hl=en
  21. ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYG9-lnDjOo
  22. ↑ "Attendance Project: NASL Indoor". Kenn Tomasch. Retrieved July 13, 2013.

External links

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